Every serving leader I know is very busy today. There is always something for them to do. How do you get more time out of your busy life?
Many years ago, I was taught by an early mentor how to get more time out of my life. He taught me if you want to accomplish great things, you must learn to delegate more effectively to the critical people in your life.
My mentor believed there were three ways to get more time out of your life. I thought you might find them helpful as we begin moving towards the summer holidays.
The first way to get more time out of your life is to surround yourself with good people. The better people you have around you, the better you feel. It’s easy to fall into the bad habit of hanging around people who are just mailing it in. They are looking forward to their next vacation or, like many baby boomers, looking toward their upcoming retirement. If they’ve done things right, this is a very exciting time. If they haven’t planned well, they can be very challenging to work with as they realize they still need to work. There is nothing more painful than having to do anything.
I’ve always believed that choice versus chance is the recipe for a successful life. If given a choice, successful people develop a plan that helps them define success their way. We may not all choose the same path for our lives, but as leaders we prefer choice.
If you want more time out of your life surround yourself with positive people. If you’re working with the right people, time flies by, and so will your life.
The second way to get more time out of your life is find time for yourself. I know what you’re thinking; you don’t have time in your busy schedule to make time for you. So who do you have time for? Most successful leaders I know are very good at making time for themselves.
Some find the early morning works. They start their day earlier and invest half an hour before everyone else comes in to think. You can’t imagine how much easier your life is when you have time to think and reflect over the decisions you have to make.
Others find time at the end of the day to consider what they will be working on over the coming days. Many of my coaching clients use the end of the day to make their schedule for their next day, the next week, the coming months, and finally, years. In my experience, the more time you invest in your future dreams, the more likely they are to come true.
The third way to get more time out of your life is develop the habit of exercising on a regular basis. The better you feel, the easier it is to do the things you feel are important in life. Take time every day to do some physical exercise. You gain so many benefits from the time invested in physical activities. Over the next several weeks, I will introduce you to someone who can help you make time for physical activities.
Finally, the best way to get more time out of your life is take time to enjoy your life. We don’t get several lifetimes to figure it all out. Having a sense of humor helps you bring more joy into your life. Serving leaders should lead a life of joy. Having a sense of humor helps you get more time out of your life. Learning to laugh at yourself and with others makes your time more enjoyable while doing the things you want to do well help you have an extraordinary life.
See you Thursday, when I share several ideas that help you develop the plans for your life. See you then.